Brummagem Boats

[Up-Side-Down]

This is a real long shot – possibly a basket case in fact – though may be one that Dave Moore can shed some light on. So here goes:

 

Brummagem Boats sold a boat called Claragh in 1982 to a couple in Stockton (Warwickshire) who then went on to have three boys – two of whom spent their early life on the boat – until the profusion of nappies forced the owners to reluctantly move on land and sell the boat!

 

The details of the craft are somewhat sketchy – 50ft; painted green; Perkins engine; square stern/transom; square windows, opening at the top – probably of a hopper pattern. The boat had been in a hire fleet (having two bunk beds at the stern). It was possibly in the Brummagem Boats hire fleet, but briefly privately owned, before BB sold it to this couple.

 

There is not a single Claragh in Jim Shead's list and the past owners have no record of the index number. For sentimental reasons they'd like to track it down if it's still 'alive.' (which it very well might not be on account of its advanced years).

 

However, any light that can be thrown on this craft would be very gratefully received. Thank you in anticipation.

[pete harrison]

There has only been one boat named CLARAGH and issued with a B.W.B. index number, especially for the period you are interested in. The B.W.B. index number is 68466, and the details listed on Jim Shead's website coincide with those that you describe above as well as the adverts for CLARAGH that Brummagem Boats placed in Waterways World in 1982.

 

I was living / working at Brummagem Boats yard in 1982 but I do not remember CLARAGH.

[Up-Side-Down]

There has only been one boat named CLARAGH and issued with a B.W.B. index number, especially for the period you are interested in. The B.W.B. index number is 68466, and the details listed on Jim Shead's website coincide with those that you describe above as well as the adverts for CLARAGH that Brummagem Boats placed in Waterways World in 1982.

 

I was living / working at Brummagem Boats yard in 1982 but I do not remember CLARAGH.

 

Thanks very much for that nugget of information Pete - pure gold. So she's called Flemish Weaver now and appears very much alive ...... and I hope well. Her previous owners will be delighted.

 

Now can anyone throw any light on a 50' narrowboat called FLEMISH WEAVER ................................??

Edited October 13, 2013 by Up-Side-Down

[dave moore]

Hi

 

Like Pete, I was around the yard at that time but don't recall Claragh. Sorry.

 

Dave

[Up-Side-Down]

Hi

 

Like Pete, I was around the yard at that time but don't recall Claragh. Sorry.

 

Dave

 

Thanks for the reply Dave.

 

It seems that we're looking for a boat by the name of FLEMISH WEAVER now due to a name change.

 

As a matter of interest did Brummagem Boats hire out any boats built by Canal and RiverCraft or did they build their own? From the details that Pete has provided I can see from Jim Shead's list that this boat was built by C & RC. There might have been another name change along the way or else B B just brokered the sale.

[Athy]

What an incredible result: answers to a "real long shot" within 12 hours!

 

This leads me to wonder: how many narrowboats are actually scrapped (if that the correct term) each year? I've seen, and heard of, many battered, rusty, dinted and even sunken craft being restored to working order, but I don't think I've ever seen one actually being cut up for scrap - oh, perhaps just one, about 10 years ago. How often does it happen?

Edited October 14, 2013 by Athy

[Up-Side-Down]

What an incredible result: answers to a "real long shot" within 12 hours!

 

This leads me to wonder: how many narrowboats are actually scrapped (if that the correct term) each year? I've seen, and heard of, many battered, rusty, dinted and even sunken craft being restored to working order, but I don't think I've ever seen one actually being cut up for scrap - oh, perhaps just one, about 10 years ago. How often does it happen?

 

Indeed 'what a result'. It's confirmed my belief in optimism - I'm just waiting for the owners of Flemish Weaver to step forward now! According to Jim Shead's list there is only one craft of that name registered.

 

When I started on this quest I too was wondering about this very point. Could this boat (which must be around 35 years old now) have been scrapped, sunk, abandoned, cut up, or whatever.

 

So what is the realistic life of a narrowboat? I'd be interested to hear people's experience. When I was first contemplating buying a boat I was told that 20 years was the expected life of a new steel narrowboat. Clearly that was somewhat erroneous information!

[Poster girl]

We recently looked at a boat that was built in 1978 that had a recent survey. The base plate was originally 6mm and the survey stated that now the base plate was between 5mm and 6mm therefore it would suggest that this boat was made from excellent quality steel and had suffered very little wear and tear in its 35 years in the water!

[pete harrison]

 

Thanks for the reply Dave.

 

It seems that we're looking for a boat by the name of FLEMISH WEAVER now due to a name change.

 

As a matter of interest did Brummagem Boats hire out any boats built by Canal and RiverCraft or did they build their own? From the details that Pete has provided I can see from Jim Shead's list that this boat was built by C & RC. There might have been another name change along the way or else B B just brokered the sale.

When Brummagem Boats started in the hire business their boats came from several sources, including one or two that were privately owned. From those I remember of this period BEAUTY was built by Teddesley ?, BUTTON and BUCKLE were built by Colecraft, KLEIO (spelling ?) was built by Doug Greaves, KNOT was built by Hancock and Lane, LAD and LADY were built by Rugby Boatbuilders, LINDA was built by Teddesley, RIDGEWAY was built by Mindon Marine.

 

Most of these boats were replaced throughout the early to mid 1980's by more modern craft, mostly beginning with the letter "B" and supplemented by a couple of Brum Tugs, and were built by either Colecraft at Long Itchington or Malcolm Pearson at Sherborne Street Wharf.

 

I have never heard of the boat builder "Canal and RiverCraft", but that does not mean they did not exist.

[Up-Side-Down]

When Brummagem Boats started in the hire business their boats came from several sources, including one or two that were privately owned. From those I remember of this period BEAUTY was built by Teddesley ?, BUTTON and BUCKLE were built by Colecraft, KLEIO (spelling ?) was built by Doug Greaves, KNOT was built by Hancock and Lane, LAD and LADY were built by Rugby Boatbuilders, LINDA was built by Teddesley, RIDGEWAY was built by Mindon Marine.

 

Most of these boats were replaced throughout the early to mid 1980's by more modern craft, mostly beginning with the letter "B" and supplemented by a couple of Brum Tugs, and were built by either Colecraft at Long Itchington or Malcolm Pearson at Sherborne Street Wharf.

 

I have never heard of the boat builder "Canal and RiverCraft", but that does not mean they did not exist.

Well that's quite a diverse selection of boat builders - many remember the Brum Tug with great affection, though I didn't realise that Sam Cole was involved.

 

The builders Canal & River Craft Ltd cropped in a thread at the end of last year when LoopyLou was trying to track down the origins of her boat. You again hit the jackpot by identifying that its original name had been Tyke and steered her towards Jim Shead's list: http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=52032&page=2&hl=tyke#entry974319

[David Mack]

LAD and LADY were built by Rugby Boatbuilders

I seem to recall LAD and LASS together in the fleet, with LADY coming later. I do recall the characteristic Rugby bow though.

[pete harrison]

I seem to recall LAD and LASS together in the fleet, with LADY coming later. I do recall the characteristic Rugby bow though.

You could well be correct, it was a long time ago

[malp]

What a coincidence - I have been wondering what happened to the boats I built for Brummagem Boats, and up pops this thread!

 

To amplify Pete Harrison's post, I built just one of the Brumtug shells, No 3. The others I'm pretty sure were built by Colecraft. Four new new boats were added to the private boats to start the fleet, and they came from Rugby Boatbuilders. I then built the next five cruiser shells that went into the fleet. They were, in order, Belle (40'), Bourne (42'), Beau and Beau Brummel (both 50') and Britannic (62').

 

After that they bought shells in, probably from Colecraft, until they started building in a polytunnel on the other side of the yard. Trevor Preece I think was the fabricator at first.

 

Mal Pearson

[pete harrison]

What a coincidence - I have been wondering what happened to the boats I built for Brummagem Boats, and up pops this thread!

 

To amplify Pete Harrison's post, I built just one of the Brumtug shells, No 3. The others I'm pretty sure were built by Colecraft. Four new new boats were added to the private boats to start the fleet, and they came from Rugby Boatbuilders. I then built the next five cruiser shells that went into the fleet. They were, in order, Belle (40'), Bourne (42'), Beau and Beau Brummel (both 50') and Britannic (62').

 

Mal Pearson

BELLE - index 63786 (1981) - renamed ENDEVOUR - renamed COROMANDEL

BOURNE - index 60883 (1981) - renamed CHALLENGER

BEAU - index 60714 (1981) - renamed CONQUEST - renamed HOLLAAR - renamed DAWN TREADER

BEAU BRUMMEL - index 77384 (1982) - renamed MUTTON SONG

BRITANNIC - index 79268 ? (1981) - renamed

 

i also recall BUCKLE (index 62049) and BUTTON (index 62385) which came from Colecraft in 1979 or 1980.

 

edit - add date of index 79268

Edited December 1, 2013 by pete harrison

[Tim Lewis]

What a coincidence - I have been wondering what happened to the boats I built for Brummagem Boats, and up pops this thread!

 

To amplify Pete Harrison's post, I built just one of the Brumtug shells, No 3. The others I'm pretty sure were built by Colecraft. Four new new boats were added to the private boats to start the fleet, and they came from Rugby Boatbuilders. I then built the next five cruiser shells that went into the fleet. They were, in order, Belle (40'), Bourne (42'), Beau and Beau Brummel (both 50') and Britannic (62').

 

After that they bought shells in, probably from Colecraft, until they started building in a polytunnel on the other side of the yard. Trevor Preece I think was the fabricator at first.

 

Mal Pearson

 

You have a lot to answer for, Britannic was the boat from my first ever canal boat holiday in 1982 with a bunch of Volunteers from the Severn Valley Railway.

 

Tim

[malp]

Pete, thanks for the update, I ought to look at Jim Shead's site more carefully. I recall the names Buckle and Button, but not where they fit in the timeline. I'm fairly sure that apart from the Rugby boats, and my shells, they bought all the others from Colecraft until Trevor started building for them on site.

Edited November 30, 2013 by malp

[pete harrison]

Pete, thanks for the update, I ought to look at Jim Shead's site more carefully. I recall the names Buckle and Button, but not where they fit in the timeline. I'm fairly sure that apart from the Rugby boats, and my shells, they bought all the others from Colecraft until Trevor started building for them on site.

I have just thought of another boat similar to BUCKLE and BUTTON - BANGLE (index 79267 - 1981) - renamed MOGREY MIE - renamed PANTANI.

 

Jim Shead's website only started listing index number details in 2005, so only records boat namings from 2005 onwards. My records only go back to 1983, and B.W.B. first issued index number in 1980.

 

I remember you having a young man working for / with you from about 1984. Do you recall his name ? He did a little welding for me on BADSEY in 1989 and I think he moved on shortly afterwards.

 

edit - add date of index 79267

Edited December 1, 2013 by pete harrison

[Geordie 2]

I own tug no.10 original name "YDDRAIG NEN" index 76286 built by colecraft in 1982/3 fitted out by Graham White.

I am trying to find out if she was one of the open front type or not? she now has a full cabin,any info on her or photos would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

Geordie

[pearley]

Nothing to do with Brum Tugs but in 1991 we hired 'Knot' from Alvechurch. Al Harris told me it was built by Brummagem Boats. It had several paving slaps under one of the seats in the front deck to correct a mistake with the ballasting. Every other day they would start to slide out and stop the door from opening so we had to walk round and push them back in place.

 

It a!so had one huge single battery rather than separate starter and domestic as previous boats had had. After a day sat in Gloucester without running the engine it was too flat to restart. It took two engineers to carry a replacement to the boat.

[blatchington]

Hello - came across this thread just now... A couple of years ago I bought a Mindon Marine boat - 'Whinchat', 30ft, built 1971. Good looking little narrowboat, still going strong, although it needed some replating done and I had a recon gear-box fitted last year. When the survey was done, the surveyor (after the usual terrifying going-over with a heavy hammer) commented that it seemed like a pretty solid old boat, given that it's more than 40 years old, and that the original steel must have been decent grade for it to still be around and afloat.

I had completely failed to find anything anywhere about 'Mindon Marine' until I came across this series of posts on the forum. The registered address of the company still pops up, but when you look it up on google maps, it looks like even the skinny branch of the canal that used to run nearby has dried up. Does anyone happen to know any more about Mindon? How many boats they produced and when etc? Any pointers gratefully received, just to satisfy my curiosity...

 

 

[Grace and Favour]

Hello - came across this thread just now... A couple of years ago I bought a Mindon Marine boat - 'Whinchat', 30ft, built 1971. Good looking little narrowboat, still going strong, although it needed some replating done and I had a recon gear-box fitted last year. When the survey was done, the surveyor (after the usual terrifying going-over with a heavy hammer) commented that it seemed like a pretty solid old boat, given that it's more than 40 years old, and that the original steel must have been decent grade for it to still be around and afloat.

I had completely failed to find anything anywhere about 'Mindon Marine' until I came across this series of posts on the forum. The registered address of the company still pops up, but when you look it up on google maps, it looks like even the skinny branch of the canal that used to run nearby has dried up. Does anyone happen to know any more about Mindon? How many boats they produced and when etc? Any pointers gratefully received, just to satisfy my curiosity...

 

 

With thanks to Jim Shead's website:

 

The list of boats, (as far as I know) are:

May Built by Mindon - Length 9.75 metres ( 32 feet ) - Beam 2.08 metres ( 6 feet 10 inches ). Metal hull, power of 13 BHP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number 67750 as a Powered. Last registration recorded on Wednesday 22nd May 2013.

Tara Built by Mindon - Length 17.37 metres ( 57 feet ) - Beam 2.07 metres ( 6 feet 9 inches ) - Draft 0.55 ( 1 feet 10 inches ). Metal hull, power of 37 BHP.

[pete harrison]

Does anyone happen to know any more about Mindon? How many boats they produced and when etc? Any pointers gratefully received, just to satisfy my curiosity...

I would suggest that Mindon Marine built in excess of 100 narrow boats, for both the hire and the private markets. I recall most if not all of the Rose Narrowboat hire fleet coming from this manufacturer.

 

If your boat is B.W.B. index 62115 then it was named WINCHAT in the early 1980's, and it appears to have been a privately owned boat rather than a hire boat..

[NBMay]

Hi

 

Just thought I'd let you know that I own May. She is GORGEOUS. We bought her in 2008 on EBay - a bit neglected but after a crazy 12 months of taking her back to just a hull, doing some overplating and adding a completely new interior, gas, electrics etc she is now cruising happily and over the past 6 years has been to London and back, tootled around Stratford Upon Avon and Warwickshire and is currently bound for Ashby. The original Lister SR2 seems to have been better maintained than the boat and runs faultlessly.

I often look at Mindon's brass plate as I stand at the tiller so it was nice to find out a bit more about them and the other boats they built.

 

Will look out for Whinchat

[ImmaDuckQuackQuack]

Hi there, hope you dont mind me resurrecting an old thread, was just having a google on Brummagem boats and came across this thread, currently refitting out a 69 footer made by them, solid old girl!! ?

[Sea Dog]

Well resurrected! We hired a Brum Tug named Quercus from Brummagem in the 80s. She was a lovely little thing and was admired everywhere we went. That was our second canal boat hire, but it was the one which really did it for us! Even the dead dog floating upside down and looking like a sea contact mine on the new main line couldn't dull our enthusiasm! I know there are a few Brum Tugs still out there and I think I heard Quercus is still going under a different name down on the Wey, which backs up your 'solid old girl' view of (at least dome of) Brummagem's boats.

 

Best of luck with your refit!